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This Issue 11/09/2006

Also in this issue

• Ego Boost
• Extremely loud and incredible prose
• This doc rocks
• Shoutouts
• You are so not twenty-one

It's almost Thanksgiving, and aside from the turkey and long-awaited vacation time, Street is looking forward to Oscar season, that month-long period from Thanksgiving to Christmas chock-full of impressive cinema. To those who plan to spend the rest of their semester at Ritz Five, here's a go-to guide for November and December films worth seeing:

The Departed (Out now)

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon

Why it's worthy: Scorsese's big comeback (did he ever leave?). This remake of Hong Kong's Infernal Affairs has all the drama of his previous films (it's about mobsters and cops in present-day Boston) plus a whole lotta pizazz. Street called it "a remake that trumps the original in all respects . the year's most exciting cinematic experience."

Little Children (Out now)

Starring: Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly

Why it's worthy: A New York Times Critics' Pick, Todd Field's Little Children is a dark look at the lives of lonely suburbanites who cross paths at their kids' playground. Clever screenwriting in conjunction with stellar acting will earn Children big points come Oscar time; Street said, "Children is a quiet yet deeply unsettling film about the human condition."

Babel (Out now)

Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garc¡a Bernal

Why it's worthy: Under the direction of Amores Perros' Alejandro González I¤árritu, Babel describes the ordeals befalling a group of American travelers and those around them, all of which seem to arise from misunderstandings and miscommunication. Rife with colorful cinematography, Babel conveys the importance of listening, and everyone's taking notice; Regis Philbin predicted that the film would take Best Picture! "Anyone seeking a film of high artistic quality will be extremely pleased," Street wrote.

Rocky Balboa (December 22)

Starring: Sylvester Stallone

Why it's worthy: Okay, so this film has about as much chance of winning an Oscar as Robocop III, but it does come out at Christmas, which is a good sign. The original Rocky won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1977, and if Sly can get his act together 30 years later, we'll be rooting for him. Plus, as Philadelphians, we should at least support the few movies filmed on our home turf.

The Painted Veil (December 15)

Starring: Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber

Why it's worthy: Just look at the cast: have you ever seen more Oscar nominees in a single production? Probably not. Based on the W. Somerset Maugham novel, and a remake of the 1934 Greta Garbo film of the same title, Veil deals with the relationship of a wealthy English couple in the 1920s who hastily marry and move to Hong Kong. After the wife cheats on her husband, he hastily moves her to a cholera-ridden Shanghai. Spiteful!

Dreamgirls

(December 15)

Starring: Beyonc‚ Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy